Entertainment

YASSSSSSSSSSSS! September is FABULOUS! Time to get your kids off to school, get your life back in order, pull out your fall fashions and say see ya later to the humidity! I read an article that said the first day of fall brings balance back to our lives! Amen! Summer was a blast but it’s time to get back into a routine and make some money honey! Our city explodes with excitement as The Toronto International Film Festival takes over and the red carpet is rolled out for some serious celebrity sightings. How excited are you about TV this fall? All your shows are back! I officially ran out of things to watch on Netflix this summer, but I have to say, if you haven’t seen Kim’s Convenience yet…

you need to! It is a Toronto based show and season 3 is coming out this month! Binge watch season 1 and 2 STAT! Our entire team at ONtheGO has planned an exciting month for you, so keep this copy with you at all times… happy September, xo.

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TIFFSeptember 6–September 16

Who is your favourite Hollywood Star? The ever so sexy Ryan Reynolds? The super talented Lady Gaga? Hollywood royalty Julia Roberts? The list is huge and every single A-List celebrity will be in our city! This is my favourite time of year! You never know who you are going to bump into at random places in the downtown core! The movies tend to sell out super- fast but celebrity chasing is free and fun! Head to Yorkville and King Street to spot your Hollywood crush! Most stars are in a great mood because they love Canadians and TIFF has become one of the best film festivals in the world! Bravo Toronto!

Hello fall! Cheers to you! Time to put away the Sangria and drink up the taste of a new season! Eden Grove Cider debuts its line of alcoholic beverages, beginning with Perfect Pear, a pairing of Ontario’s star pear varietals Bosc and Bartlett. Using only pears hand-picked at the peak of their ripeness, Perfect Pear Cider combines the Bartlett’s smooth buttery texture with the Bosc’s juicy sweetness to produce a well- balanced, gluten-free and vegan friendly cider. Best served cold, Perfect Pear has a crisp taste, semi-dry in character. With a light palate profile and balanced acidity, the refreshing cider is a subtly sweet alternative to radlers and white wines. Ideal as a thirst quencher on its own, the cider also pairs well with a variety of favourite foods. Perfect Pear is now available in more than 60 LCBO stores across the province, with additional varieties of Eden Grove Cider making their way to shelves soon. Thirsty?

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NUIT BLANCHE TORONTOSeptember 29

This contemporary art event magically transforms Toronto’s streets and parks into an artistic playground with exhibitions, live performances and creative programs. In addition to the regular all-night Blue Night Network service, the TTC transit service will be extending all-night subway service on Line 1 Yonge-University and Line 2 Bloor-Danforth. To help facilitate explora- tion of the artworks at Scarborough Civic Centre, Scarborough Town Centre and five SRT stations, Line 3 Scarborough (SRT) will run all night. Weather permitting, walking and biking is an excellent way to get around the downtown exhibitions.

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DINNER TIME STORIESSeptember 29–November 25

The first Canadian pop-up of Dinner Time Stories, presented by HEXO, opens on Sep. 29 through Nov. 25 in downtown Toronto at Katana (333 Bay St.). Elevated by cutting edge 3D technology, the immersive dining experience takes guests on an adventure with Le Petit Chef, making his way along the historic route of Marco Polo on the Silk Road. Combined with a refined six- course menu of international cuisine, the production delivers an unforgettable journey around the world in two hours. Tickets are $200 per person and include the six-course experience plus a specialty cocktail. Wine pairing packages are available for $70. All tickets are available for purchase at dinner time stories. eventbrite.ca. For groups of 10 or more, please contact info@dinnertimestories.ca.

Take the time to connect to the world around you this fall. Don’t let its significance pass you by. It’s easy, in our loud, busy world, to allow that to happen. By reconnecting with the seasons, you’ll find yourself renewed and reborn each year, better and better than you were before. So allow yourself to open to the spiritual possibilities of fall as you enjoy that crisp air, and listen to the whispering voice of the leaves. They may just have great wisdom to impart to you. Now, off you go. Have an amazing September!

A beer drinker never going to the Toronto Festival of Beer is a bit like a Maple Leafs fan never going to a hockey game. At this point in the festival’s timeline, not going means beer fans are seriously missing out.

Toronto’s Festival of Beer — colloquially known as Beer Fest or TFOB — is everything you hope it could be and more. Freedom at its finest, you’ll find yourself at Bandshell Park, Exhibition Place (July 26th–29th) surrounded by limitless beer brands who are clamouring for you to taste test their suds.

HOW IT WORKS First acquire tokens, cash is recommended for expedience but there are ATMs available and Token Booths do accept credit cards. Then, relish in the ease that is presenting a token for whichever beer is next on the list. It works fast. When all that’s happening is handing over a token, service is speedy and friendly.

Take all the time in the world to examine, investigate and (very likely) try your favourite brew again. You’ll need a drink in-hand to spit out in shock upon learning about this year’s musical guests, then inevitably another drink to enjoy while watching the performances.

Broken Social Scene and The Rural Alberta Advantage (Thursday, July 26th), Ludacris (Friday, July 27th), Dwayne Gretzky (Saturday, July 28th), I Mother Earth and Finger Eleven (Sunday, July 29th) will all be performing on The OLG Bandshell Stage, showcasing an over-loaded line-up that makes every day of the event a must-see!

Toronto Festival of Beer is a great way to discover knew brands you didn’t know you like or existed. New this year are breweries such as Overhop, Saulter Street Brewery and Fenelon Falls Brewing Company. You can also expect to see newer brands that have exploded in popularity from festivals of years past, like StoneHammer and Mill Street Organic, as well.

No matter your taste, with hundreds of beers to choose from it’s a guarantee you’ll find something that pushes its way into your permanent rotation.

Head to BeerFestival.ca to see beers, pricing, accommodations and a list of what you can/ cannot bring into the venue.

The 17th annual Scarborough Ribfest begins on August 3rd and runs through August 6th at Thomson Memorial Park, at Brimley and Lawrence in Scarborough. Run by the Rotary Club of Scarborough as a fundraiser, come out and enjoy free bands and other entertainment, juicy ribs from 10 ribbers, beer, coolers and cider from Mill Street, Mike’s and Palm Bay. Other choices include tasty offerings such as hamburgers and French fries, bloomin’ onions, wraps, ice cream and delectable selections from the Philippines and halal foods!

Sponsors, crafters and other exhibitors will be there to sell their wares and offer free samples.

Come for the music! Come and rock to feature acts including rock and rollers Tom Hayes and the Twisters, the fantastic CCR tribute band Green River Revival, the Sattalites and the rocking Back Track Band!

New for this year:Get your 50/50 ticket! All weekend we will be selling tickets for a draw to take place on Monday afternoon! Who knows, you might pick up 50% of the pot!

ALL of the money that we earn from Ribfest is used for Rotary community service projects in Toronto and across the GTA, as well as Rotary international projects.

With a long list of sold-out tour dates confirmed for this summer and the recent release of her first album in almost a decade, Shania Twain continues to be one of Canada’s most celebrated performers. The Canadian Country Music Association and CBC are thrilled to announce that the five-time Grammy and 24-time CCMA Award winner has been confirmed to host the 2018 CCMA Awards at FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton on Sunday, September 9th. The awards will be broadcast live nationwide at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on CBC and cbcbmusic.ca/ccmas.

The 2018 CCMA Awards will honour and showcase the biggest names and emerging talent in country music, featuring performances, collaborations and unforgettable moments.

One of those moments will be Twain’s acceptance of the Generation Award. Only the second artist to receive this honour, Twain will be celebrated for her significant impact on the country music industry and her unmatchable ability to create mass awareness of country music around the globe.

Whether you enjoy the heat or the sweet escape of air conditioning, with all that our vibrant and Instagram-worthy district has to offer, let us be your guide to this summer’s hottest – and coolest – most happening destinations.

Photo by Clayton Hauck for Second City

ARTS With the warm weather comes a new wave of theatre, comedy shows, movies and documentaries, and music festivals, as well as summer camps for children, pre-teens and teens to explore and learn about music, art, and film. If you’re in the mood for some laughs there’s the world-famous Second City, or Yuk Yuk’s. Or if being front-and- centre is your thing then be sure to stop by Second City on June 11th for their Showtunes Karaoke night!

EXPOS As the summer gets hotter so do the cars. This July check out IMPORTFEST 2018 (July 28th) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC). Then in August MTCC showcases some of the most talented cosplayers and their spectacular costumes at the 2018 Canadian Fan Expo (August 30th – September 2nd).

FOOD & DRINK Summerlicious is a culinary celebration that showcases Toronto’s diverse and savoury cuisine. More than 220 of Toronto’s restaurants offer a prix fixe menu ranging between $18-$28 (lunch) and $28-$48 (dinner) from July 6th – 22nd. Soon after that you can explore the 30+ beers that the Roundhouse Craft Beer Festival (August 13th – 14th) has to offer.

SPORTS & CONCERTS Get your cheer on at the Rogers Centre and show your support for our Jays as they vie for a spot in the 2018 MLB Playoffs! Or if sports isn’t your thing both the Air Canada Centre (ACC) and the Rogers Centre (RC) have a variety of concerts to cater to whatever your favourite music genre may be. Make sure to get here early before the game or concert to grab a bite or a pint, or bring the kids to Ripley’s Aquarium to explore and interact with underwater wonders!

THEATRE If the fine arts are what you are looking for then Toronto has it. The Royal Alexandra Theatre, Princess of Wales Theatre, and Roy Thomson Hall have all of the plays, musicals, and symphonies you could ever want. Or if you are more of a movie buff then the Scotiabank Theatre always features the latest and greatest box-office movies.

HigHligHts: The Phantom of the Opera, Princess of Wales Theatre, June 7th – 30th | The King and I, Princess of Wales Theatre, July 10th – August 12th

For more exciting ideas for a night – or day – out, a date, family time, or some quality solo time, visit TorontoED.com or follow us on social media to get the latest updates.

There’s no denying that the best time of year in Toronto is summer festival season, when cultural celebrations, outdoor music performances, community events and food fests begin popping up around the city, giving us the perfect opportunity to explore multitudes of unique and eclectic neighbourhoods. One festival that has it all, and more, is the Taste of Little Italy, organized by the Little Italy Business Improvement Area.

From June 15th — June 17th College Street, from Bathurst St. to Shaw St., will close to vehicle traffic as it welcomes thousands of pedestrians to the neighbourhood. Enjoy live music on multiple street corners and on the main stage, extended patios, multicultural vendors, amazing food, carnival rides and new this year a learn-to-skate park where children up to 12 years old can learn how to scooter and skateboard safely.

From restaurants and street vendors, to the myriad of free tastings and samples, you won’t leave unsatisfied. Just make sure to come on an empty stomach — it’s the only way you can properly enjoy all the classics — like authentic Italian pasta, wood fired pizza, and tradition and non-traditional flavours of gelato. If you’re looking for something a bit different, you won’t be disappointed, as the festival is known for it’s diverse and multicultural food options.

Kick off the World Cup on College St. and enjoy the Taste of Little Italy, and a lot more!

Follow @TOLittleItaly on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for your chance to win a $50 gift card to Little Italy! More details coming soon.

Plan your next great night out with TOnight the FREE on-the-go theatre app. Find out what’s playing anytime, anywhere in the city. It’s easy! Use the TOnight theatre guide to pick a show and buy tickets. You can also follow the virtual theatre map to discover local restaurants and hotels in the Downtown Yonge area.

With so much to see in Toronto, make it easier to decide what you’re seeing with TOnight.